Pressures on Single Mothers in Chinese Households: The Impact of Social Resource Allocation and Gender-Based Dichotomies

Abstract

Single mothers in China frequently face complex pressures which specifically include economic strain, psychological and emotional burdens, the challenges of single parenting, and inadequacies in social support and policy frameworks. This study examines single-parent households in China's first- and second-tier cities, where mothers independently rear children and belong to the middle-to-high income category. This research starts with the demystification of masculine identity and the constitution of the gentle emotional cycle as background theories, demonstrating that contemporary gender issues decisively influence the mental health and family dynamics of single mothers through distinct collective identifications. Single mothers must not only contend with external societal pressures but also confront the challenge posed by their children's emerging gender perspectives. This challenge frequently touches upon mothers' value recognition regarding their own life choices, triggering profound existential anxieties. However, research has also observed positive adaptive patterns: mothers who establish family dialogue mechanisms transcending value conflicts successfully resolve intergenerational tensions by shifting the focus of interaction from ideological competition to emotional connection. This transformation requires mothers to possess considerable emotional regulation skills, enabling them to maintain their self-identity while adopting an open attitude towards understanding their children's conceptual world. In such circumstances, when considering the pressures stemming from unequal resource distribution and gender norms in modern society, the psychological burden faced by a single mother in China can be fully delineated.